Integrating an Online Writing Lab into Curricula www

Integrating an Online Writing Lab into Curricula www. excelsior. edu Presented By: Kimberly Lourinia, Assistant Director of Academic Partnerships Lisa La. Vigna, Executive Director of Outreach and Access

Agenda q What is an OWL? q Effectiveness q Importance of OER’s q Excelsior College OWL q Purdue University OWL q Benefits q Examples q Implementation

Poll Who is currently using an online writing lab in their courses?

OWL q Online Writing Lab q Open Resources q Accessibility q Improve Writing q Available OWL’s q Excelsior College q Purdue University

Benefits of an OWL q Saves Money q Engages Students and Faculty q Adapts to Faculty Needs q Improves Quality of Education q Improves Student Success q Extends The Services of The College/University q Creates Flexibility in Coursework q Increases Workforce Skills

Poll Who can explain OER’s? Can anyone give us an example?

Importance of OER’s q Online Education Resources q Freely Accessible q Licensed Content q Provide Cost Savings q Engages Faculty With Content q Adapts Course Materials to Course Objectives q Measure the Results

Excelsior College OWL q www. owl. excelsior. edu q Grant Funded q Free Resource q Accessibility q Awards & Recognition q 2015 Award for Outstanding New Technology and/or Delivery System q. Instructional Technology Council (ITC) q 2014 Outstanding Work (WOW) Award q. WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies (WCET) q 2014 Distance Education Innovation Award q. National University Technology Network (NUTN)

Excelsior College OWL

Educator’s Handbook q Technical Requirements q Overview & Benefits q Excelsior College OWL & Instruction q Using the OWL in Programs & Classrooms q Sample Course Activities q Using for Writing Feedback q OWL Across Disciplines q Process for Embedding the OWL

Pilot Study q Fall Semester 2013 q Developed Common Curriculum q Measured Effectiveness q Results – 6. 6 Points Higher q Participating Institutions q Excelsior College, Valencia College, Howard Community College, Broome Community College, Union County College, San Diego Mesa College q Conducted by the Evaluation Consortium at the State University of New York at Albany

The Purdue OWL q https: //owl. english. purdue. edu/owl/ q Began in 1993 q 20 th Anniversary q 1 st Online Writing Lab q Free q Accessibility

Poll How many of you are being asked to use OER in the classroom?

Example #1 – English 101 At Excelsior College, the OWL was used to replace textbooks in the English 101 course, saving students approximately $125, 000 total each year. Because the OWL has such comprehensive and engaging coverage of writing content and is closely linked to the Framework for Success in Post Secondary Writing, it is a strong resource for any college writing course. And, unlike other OWLs, the learning areas in the Excelsior College OWL are scaffolded, making these learning areas a good fit for a similarly scaffolded writing curriculum.

Example #2 - Psychology Houston Community College adopted an open textbook for a psychology class during the fall semester of 2011 for 690 students. They stated, “compared with students using a traditional text in the spring of 2011, student who used the free online textbook scored higher on departmental final examinations, had higher grade point averages in the class and had higher retention rates. ”

Support Across Disciplines q A Students College Experience Involves Writing q Not Just English/Writing q Resources Beneficial to All Disciplines q Locating Information & Writing With Sources q Grammar Essentials q Writing Process q Add This To Your Resource List q Promote to Students

Getting Started q 4 Steps q Start with your curriculum goals and involve faculty from the start q Offer high quality professional development – early and often q Find the OER that is right for your students q Use OER to customize curriculum and differentiate learning q Is Your Institution Ready?

Poll Whose ready to get started?

Thank You q. Excelsior College OWL Team qowl@excelsior. edu q. Kim Lourinia q. Assistant Director of Academic Partnerships q(518) 608 -8321 qklourinia@excelsior. edu q. Lisa La. Vigna q. Executive Director of Outreach and Access q(608 -8252) qllavigna@excelsior. edu